Our Champion
by Zhampy
Summary: Everything started when she signed up under the Wei corporation. The rest is history. Chapter 2: Don has a little runin with Maya's manager. DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Okay, so I wish someone had done this before me. Writing about something and reading about it are two completely different ways to enjoy something. And I wanted to read something like this (laughs). But I doubt it'll happen any time soon, so I'm writing it. If someone _has _done it before, well then, I clearly suck!

This is basically my play on what happened before the first episode of Oban. It'll get quite angsty later on obviously, but it has a happy ending, also obviously. (grins)

**Author: **Yoru Ryu (Rainy Day)  
**Rating: **K/ PG-13 (Rating will most likely rise later)  
**Disclaimer: **Hahahaha!  
**Summery: **Everything started when she signed up under the Wei corporation. The rest is history.  
**Listening to: **Not Gonna Get Us -- Tatu.  
**Warnings: **Main pairing Don x Maya. Quite a large number of OCs too.

**Our Champion.**

"_Here we are at the beautiful Crystal Case race track in the heartland of Star-racing, Vapid City! And what a glorious day it is! Phoenix Studios is proud to announce we have the best coverage of the races on Earth! We're down to the last three teams! Who will be declared Earth Champion and travel to Venus for the finals of this inter-planetary challenge? It's only a matter of minutes yet!"_

The atmosphere around the Crystal Case track was unbelievable. As the announcer and sponsor of the Earth races had just announced, only three teams were remaining. The booming voice was hardly even heard over the roaring crowd. Yes, it was only a matter of minutes till the Semi-Final race was underway.

A team from the South of the planet, a team from the West and a team from the East. Out of the fifty teams that had made it this far, only these three remained. Some better off than others. It had been a particularly nasty and dangerous competition this year; with many more casualties and deaths than previous times. But the pilots seemed to love it more. It was such a rush.

The team from the West were mostly wearing odd colourful suits of some kind - obviously an attention grabbing gimmick of some sorts. Very tacky indeed. The East team were more traditional in the Star-Racing circle, with a clean smooth metal ship and sharp uniforms. But it was the South team who were the most intriguing.

It wasn't that female pilots were rare anymore. On the country; women seemed to make better pilots than men. The men would mostly handle the offensive end of the tactics and the mechanics of their machines. It was the way they raced.

Almost every one of their races they seemed to be on the loosing end yet pulled a complete turnabout to win, thus making it this far. They were simply a marvel to watch and the crowd seemed to agree; they wanted the South to win and represent Earth.

The pilot herself was particulary tall with long waving pink hair, with strange but alluring tattoos on her cheeks. She wore a rather revealing uniform slightly altered from the other purple uniforms her team mates wore, but it must work for her if she'd made it this far without injuring herself in any way. That was quite a feat in itself. Many pilots would pull muscles, sprain things but carry on racing like nothing were wrong. Though, from the way they acted it'd be hard to tell if they were injured or not, but he'd been in this business a while now, and it was more obvious to him. So far, he noted, she'd not hurt herself… not that he'd been looking or anything like that…

"Hey, Don! Get the lead out man, c'mon!" He turned around at the voice coming from behind him. "Stop staring at the contestants; we're out y'know. Isaac's got us some great seats. Better than our stand anyway!"

Yes, his team had been knocked out in fifth place. That was both good and bad. Coming fifth out of fifty was a huge achievement, but to lose so close… arg. Still, fifth place would get them quite a bit of coverage. Any media attention was good really. But it wasn't like the Wei Corporation was a small company anymore; it'd grown considerably since he'd signed up Granvil Marisol who was an amazing pilot, just not a top-notch one.

Looking at the back of his blonde head as he led the way to these, apparently, 'great' seats, he seemed to be taking the loss well. It was probably all the public support he got. Small children looking up to him and admiring him, women swooning under his green eyes and men respecting his flying skills. If it weren't for them, or his lucky red scarf, it was doubtful he'd take a loss like this so well. When they neared the seats a white haired boy waved them over.

"See, aren't they great seats, sir?" The white clad boy, Isaac, smiled expectantly.

The kid was so innocent for a photographer. It was hard to believe he was the person to go to, to dig up dirt on other teams, or if they needed certain information on something. But it must be he looks that cause the other teams to allow him into their buildings. It was quite a vicious tactic to have to pull, but all the other teams had their moles too, some of which had buried themselves in his own company, unknown at the time. But no matter who the mole was or from which team, they always got found out and all Hell would break loose for a short period. As manager it was his responsibility to deal with caught moles.

"Fantastic, Isaac," Don nodded. And they were good seats too; not too far back so details were lost, but far enough to see over most people's heads.

Granvil rubbed his gloved hands almost excitedly. "It's between the South team and the East team, this is going to be great!"

"Maybe you could learn something from them" a girl with bright pink hair leaned forward and snorted at him.

Slowly turning his head Granvil stared at the girl. "Shut up, Zoë."

Zoe Stoot was the sharp-ended head mechanic of the Wei company. Always speaking her mind and shouting at any pilot who dared break any of her work during a race, she was quite a menace. But she did good work and that's what it came down to in the end.

Flicking her big bangs out of her face she smirked back at the pilot. "Touché aren't we, Granny?"

"Granvil did great, Zoe!" Isaac snapped. "It wasn't his fault he turned left when everyone else went right!" Granvil covered his face and groaned.

"Of course not, it's never his fault. And after I'd spent days making that turbo drive too! You ripped it clean off, now it's only good for scrap!"

And it was true. Don himself was using a small part of it as a pencil holder in his office. Speaking of which, he turned around, "knock it off Zoe, just enjoy the race."

"Yes, sir" the mechanic grumbled bitterly.

"_The Semi-Final of the Earth branch of this competition is about to start, please be seated!" _The announcer spoke through the loud echoing speakers. _"The lots have been drawn so we're honoured to bring forth the… South team!" _The crowd launched themselves to their feet and thundered their applause.

"This is it, this is it!" Isaac chattered as he clapped his hands over his head.

"Oh, this is going to be so good," Granvil mentioned as stood on his toes despite being tall enough to see over everyone anyway. "That girl is so awesome!"

Don nodded to himself while clapping politely, "yes, very."

The crowd roared as the South team's ship came whirling into the starting arena and performing a full 360 degree spin for the already excitable audience. Granvil and Isaac 'whooped' at the skill and cheered harder.

Without waiting for the people in the stands to simmer the announcer continued. _"And introducing the honourable East team!" _There was less applause as the second Star-Racer whizzed into the arena, but they still received a mighty call. _"Piloting for the South team is Maya Sign! Piloting for the East team is Ivan Bane! The race will begin when the lights turns green, get ready!"_

All dozens of lights around the opening gate turned red as sections of the solid wall dropped to reveal a long narrow route. Don had his eyes set on the huge vision-screen as the picture flickered between both Maya and Ivan. The look on their faces was so intense. Maya had her long hair pinned back out of her face and a neat brown flight-cap pulled down, pink lens goggles covering her eyes. She wrapped and unwrapped her fingers over the control handle of her ship as she leaned back in her seat ready for the sudden force that would otherwise push her back when she set off. The determination in her eyes was simply amazing. Ivan looked… well, to be honest, Don wasn't watching him. He supposed he looked fine.

The crowd hammered their fists on the seat in front of them, chanting as the lights turned to orange - the engines rumbled.

Even Zoe jumped to her feet as the lights turned green and both racers rocketed forward and the race began.

"Oh _yeah_!" Granvil shouted, pumping the air as Maya immediately took the lead. "That's the way to do it, girl! Put your foot down!"

Now, it wasn't that Don was a total pessimist, but if anything could be said with the way Granvil raced, the East team could very well overtake and win the race with ease. They had a smaller ship and the gunner on Maya's ship seemed to be having trouble targeting it.

Just as he'd thought, the smaller ship came up closer to the South's at an angle where the gunner couldn't reach. If the vision-screen showed the pilot's faces now he was sure Maya'd be frowning or cursing lightly.

Her ship darted left and right trying to dislodge the parasite that was clinging to the leader, but it was in vain. The smaller ship was more manoeuvrable and obviously had to resort to sneaky tactics to even stand a chance of surviving the race. It was so pathetic Don almost had to frown. It seemed Maya was now using the rubble on the track to throw off her opponent.

"_This is quite a shock!" _The announced said. _"Not one minute into the race and we've already got a battle of wits!"_

Don snorted at the man in the box high above the stands. He obviously knew nothing about racing and was just glamorising it. Sticking to another ship was such an underhanded way to race, and apparently the crowd thought the same as they voiced their disapproval. He almost felt like covering Isaac's ears as the people around them hurled curses and insults to the Eastern pilot.

Granvil waved his fists around. "C'mon Maya, shake that loser off!"

"You can do it, Maya!" Isaac shouted.

Gritting his teeth, Don gasped as Maya piloted her ship into a flat rock surface successfully tossing the other ship away.

"What a pro!" Granvil cheered.

Zoe practically wailed as the screen showed all the bits of Maya's racer being ripped clean off from underneath. "I really feel for her mechanics," she shook her head.

The East's racer came screeching up on the larger ship only to get blasted back violently but Maya's partner at the guns. It seemed they'd had enough of the other pilot's cheap tricks too. Several more attempts to pass the leading ship failed so Ivan pulled his racer back. The crowd held their breath as they sat on the edge of their seats. Don Wei, Granvil and Isaac were all on their feet watching the screen intently while Zoe sat back looking redundant.

They were so close to the finish now and Maya was pulling away further into the lead. Isaac chittered about how she was going to win, Granvil pounded his hands together cheering hard and Don held his breath, just watching. Something bad was going to happen.

As the people in the stands celebrated Maya's certain victory the East's ship dropped a pillar from it's structure, a bright light emitting from within it. As both ships reached the finishing straight a long thin missile shot forward piercing Maya's ship and throwing it off course. The crowd stopped their cheering for the most part at the vision on their screen. If one had good eyesight both ships could be seen from the stands too.

"What the _Hell_ was that!?" Granvil exclaimed. "A missile? Why didn't he just do that before when he was right under her!?"

"Don't encourage them, Granvil," Isaac frowned.

"Stupid, kid," Zoe mumbled at Isaac, "the pilot can't hear us from here." The young mole scowled at her.

"I hate to rain on your parade, but that's no missile," Don mentioned in a quiet voice hardly reaching over the roar.

"Then what is it?" Zoe asked.

Taking a closer look at Maya's racer showed the 'missile' had indeed impacted, but had not fired off. "It's a needle on thread," Don growled.

"_What_!?" The people around the manager who'd heard him shouted.

"I-it's a harpoon!" Isaac pointed accusingly at the screen.

The object imbedded in the lead racer did indeed have a long chain attached to the challenger's ship. Knowingly or not, Maya was pulling along the other pilot towards the finish line. As the pair travelled closer to the end of the race the Eastern ship roughly retracted it's harpoon sending the South's ship into a sudden stumble.

Maya's ship rumbled and a jet of fire blasted out from the back.

Don's eyes widened in horror. "W-what?" Fire was _not_ good.

Isaac jumped back, almost hitting Zoe in the face with his white ponytail. "N-no, Maya."

"Grrr, oh, this can't be good," Granvil growled, hands clenched.

It was obvious from the damaged racer's movements that Maya was trying to set the ship down as carefully as possible, but with a roaring flame and unsteady controls it was something only a supreme master could do. And as misfortune would have it, she was not one.

The racer crashed into the rubble littered track catapulting sharp rocks in all directions, some of which pierced the hull of the opposing ship as it passed. The large racer somersaulted several times before it came to a stop in a wreaked heap. The vision-screen switched from the finish line to the accident site to show both Maya and her partner struggle away from the mess before the whole machine went up in flames. Paramedics would soon be on their way.

* * *

The winning ceremony for that race was a bittersweet experience. At least Maya's team were guaranteed third place. Surely if the opposing team hadn't have resorted to such low tricks they'd have won the competition and be sent to Venus for the next leg.

"_This was quite a surprising loss," _their team manager was saying in and interview.

Don Wei's team were currently seated in the tiny restroom their personal dock had watching the interview on TV. Granvil was trudging around throwing his arms about and shouting nonsense about how 'unjust that race was'. While it may have been true, he was getting on everyone's nerves. But with him also being a pilot it was understandable why he was overacting a little.

Maya's manager was being quite calm and refined, and Don had to wonder how he'd react to such a situation himself. "_We have learned a valuable lesson, and that is not to underestimate our opponent at such a crucial time. They truly had a… unique plan. We wish them luck in the final. Thank you." _With that he turned to leave all the flashing lights of the photographers and the microphones being shoved at him.

"The paparazzi are merciless," Don noted, watching them on screen following the manager.

Granvil suddenly turned the set off. "Oh, this is a bad final. Either the Kings of Tacky Town, from the United States of Tacky win, or those tossers do, bah!"

"Why didn't they get penalised, Sir?" Isaac looked up at his manager from the floor.

"However cheap their tactic may have been, it didn't break any rules," Don replied tiredly. "It may seem unfair but that's how it goes I'm afraid."

"Sucks," Isaac mumbled.

"I like the way their manager said 'unique'," Zoe quibbed, leaning over the back of the sofa. "I guess he couldn't say 'cheat' eh?"

"I think everyone got the gist of it," Don replied.

Slamming his fists on his knees Isaac smiled. "Did you see how the audience took it? That was the best celebration I've ever been to!"

"You really shouldn't have helped them graffiti their dock," Don referred to how Isaac had gone along with a group of spectators to deface the East's dock. He'd had to laugh when he'd seen what the little vandals had done though.

"Say, Don…" Granvil started, everyone looked at him. "Are you going down to see how they are? I mean, I think Maya and her gunner are fine, but it must've been quite a shock, y'know?" The manager looked at him quizzically. "You know their manager, right?" he elaborated.

"Oh, you mean, Taylor. I don't know him personally, if that's what you mean," Don said slowly. Granvil was up to something. "We were only at school together… not even in the same year." While he may be the oldest in the room, they were all in the same age bracket, save from Isaac who was still a teenager.

Granvil taped his chin. "Maybe we just want to go down there to share the pain of both our losses."

"You're strange," Zoe pointed out.

"And you're a whiney bitch" Granvil replied nonchalantly.

The only warning the blonde pilot got of his impending doom were the dilating of the girl's eyes.

* * *

Sometimes Granvil did come out with some good ides, though they were rare and far between, and they'd become even rarer now he was a gooey puddle of human on the floor, Don mused as he made his way across the fields to the South team's dock. His team were from the north of Earth and had been the last from that region to qualify, so even if it hadn't come to anything they'd get a warm reunion upon their return. He hoped.

"Hey, sir! Buy a memorable cup?" a vendor at a stall shouted over at him. He wasn't famous enough to be recognised by people who had no interest in Star-Racing, but his attire sure gave the impression he had a fair wealth.

Now _Taylor _was a man everyone recognised, interested in racing or not. He was just that famous. And his temper was almost as potent as his race tactics. But he wasn't exclusive to Star-Racing like Don himself was. Taylor managed teams from all other different sports too.

As he neared his destination he passed by the East's dock and laughed again, he could even make out the little doodle Isaac had left. Honestly, they deserved it, but he'd never admit it out loud.

The South's dock was exactly the same as any of the others. Tall, grey, boring and imposing. As he stood in the massive doorway for the racer he noticed it was missing. Their mechanics were probably out fixing it at a shop. Not that there was much to fix. Actually, maybe they'd just sold it all off as scrap and parts.

* * *

"Man, such a jerk…" the South's pilot was murmuring to herself as she paced around her tiny room. Taylor had just given her and Alex, her partner, a good chewing out. But really! How were you meant to dislodge a harpoon? The whole point of one was that you couldn't. "Such a jerk," she repeated. "A little support would have been nice."

The brown haired Alex had stormed off the moment their manager had finished yelling at them, and if she hadn't have been a professional, she would've too. Now she was just boiling her anger in her closet-room. He hadn't even cared they might have been killed.

Throwing her arms up and wincing as pain shot through her, she made a snap decision to go down to the lake nearby to cool down, literally. Hurling her door open she stormed across the metal plated corridor to descend the stairs. She caught her feet and stopped suddenly when she spotted a figure in the doorway.

Positive she'd never seen him before she studied him as he hadn't seemed to have noticed her despite her clumsy footfalls. He wasn't the tallest man she'd seen before but he was dressed quite smart so he was obviously a business man of some kind. He also had jet-black hair and was quite thin. Did he not eat? But his stance showed he was quite confident. Still, why was he here? He certainly didn't look like someone from the papers.

"Hey, you!" She finaly shouted gaining his attention. "If you're looking for Taylor he left a bit ago."

The man looked up at her. "Oh, I see. Well, do you know when he'll be back?"

Huffing she walked down the stairs to stand next to him, at his height. "I don't know and I don't care."

He paused, quite shocked by her blunt answer. "How did you know I was looking for him?"

"Everyone is," she sighed. "Sorry, I shouldn't have snapped. You can hang around if you like; I'm sure he won't be too long."

This guy didn't seem haughty like most of her manager's other acquaintances so what'd be the harm in letting him stay around for a bit? It wasn't like there was a racer to protect anymore.

She held out her hand, "I'm Maya by the way, but if you're looking for Taylor then you probably saw me race." She looked so downtrodden.

"Yes, I'm sorry about that. I hope everything is okay," he said as he motioned to take her hand.

"Donald!"

* * *

**A/N: **LOL Donald's a funny name! But it's not Don's real name. Maya's surname is sorta random, but she does have signs on her face. Those tattoos are signs… hush you!

I love writing this, but I'll only update it if people review, otherwise it'll be just for my own enjoyment (frowns). Oh no! The dreaded **review** button!

And now I've had enough of writing it's time to read some others (grins).


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I _really _want to see the flashback of Don and Maya on a date dancing! But unfortunately I couldn't find it on YouTube and it'll be ages till TV shows that episode (cries), Damn terrestrial TV and all it's crapness!

**Author: **Yoru Ryu (Rainy Day)  
**Rating: **K / PG-13 (Rating will most likely rise later)  
**Disclaimer: **I own it, so what? Now you should grovel at my feet! I'm talking about the sweet in my hand, of course, and I'm going to eat it now.  
**Summery: **Everything started when she signed up under the Wei corporation. The rest is history.  
**Listening to: **One More Time -- Daft Punk  
**Warnings: **Main pairing Don x Maya. Quite a large number of OCs too.

**Our Champion  
**_Chapter 2_

Maya whipped around at the owner of the intruding voice with a glare. "Taylor, you jerk, you-"

The man stood behind the pair heaved a hearty laugh and clapped his hands jubilantly. "Donald, what are you doing to my star racer? No pun intended," he chortled.

"What?" Don looked at him confused.

The tall man in the blue pinstripe suit waved his hand. "Oh, you never got my humour, Donny."

Don frowned, "will you stop with the names?"

"Sorry, Donald. But you have to admit; it _is _a bit suspicious the manager of a rival team would be snooping around my top pilot," Taylor replied while straightening the handkerchief in his top pocket.

"Hey!" Maya pointed at her manager accusingly. "You are such an idiot! What would be the point in 'snooping around' when we're both out of the game anyway?"

She didn't exactly know when this 'Donald' had fallen out of the race, but if he were a manager and he were still here then it must've only been recent. Most teams who lost in the first half of the championship simply left of their own accord, while those who lost later tended to stay around to watch the rest of the proceedings. So this man and her were in the same league? She wondered which his team was.

"Ahh, Maya, Maya, Maya" Taylor tsked, shaking his head. "You really don't understand the mentality of a manager do you? No wonder you hate us all so much."

After that insult she was having trouble keeping her previous anger down. "I do not hate all of you… just _you_!" Pushing the tall man aside with her shoulder she stormed out of the hanger.

Don watched her go. "You certainly have a, um, interesting repore with your team."

Taylor waved the young woman off. "Ah, she's just disturbed by her loss. She hasn't lost in over two years before this, you know" he bragged. If Don were Isaac he'd be imagining the other man's nose growing larger…

"'Disturbed' doesn't seem a very nice way to put it. Granvil was certainly not 'disturbed' by his loss."

The arrogant man waggled his finger at Don. "And that, my friend, is what puts me in a whole other league to you. I have the ability to push my staff to their limits while knowing how to exploit their weaknesses to achieve maximum efficiency."

_I'm not sure that's the sort of thing you should brag about_, Don thought. "Maya didn't seem very efficient just now…" Ohh, bad move. Taylor did _not _look so cheerful anymore,

He walked over to the shorter man so Don glared up at him. "I'm not sure I like your tone."

Don's eyes widened. What was that supposed to mean? Did he think he was talking to a delinquent child!? That was unbelievable, but he wouldn't put it past the older man if he thought about it - not that he was at the moment.

"Well perhaps if you actually stopped to think before you spoke then the people around you would get on better," he growled, clenching his fists.

"Oh, that's rich! That's rich indeed!" Taylor howled. "Someone who placed fifth telling me how to treat my staff. Oh, it just doesn't get any better than this!"

"Unless you're so simple you can't _count_; fifth is only _two _places away from third in which _you _placed. A meagre two places hardly gives a person the right to act all high and mighty!" If he were thinking straight he'd feel bad that he was actually jabbing at the pilots instead of the intolerable manager stood before him, but he wasn't, so it didn't matter.

Taylor crossed his arm to use his height advantage better. "So it is I who is the simpleton here? You never cease to amaze me, Donald, never. What kind of manager allows his pilot to make a simple bearing error at such a crucial point of the competition, I ask you." He was referring to Granvil, of course.

Don lowered his head while glowering. He knew that'd come back to bite him. "You cannot expect to control _every little _aspect of the pilot's will! Racing is what they do, and I'm sure they understand it a lot better than we do!" Taylor always knew how to jab Don just right and insulting his skill at his job always did the trick. But to insult his team too? He was seething now.

"And I suppose you allow your staff to run around like savages?" Oh, he was really poking the bear with a sharp stick now. His smirk was insolent.

Throwing his arm out Don spat, "if that is what you call 'free will' then yes, Taylor, that is exactly what they do!" With a growl he marched passed the older manager barely resisting the urge to punch him in his smug face. That smarmy smile was even burning into the back of his head as he left.

Once he'd put some distance between himself and the offensive man he sighed deeply, sounding tired already. He wasn't even thirty yet, he shouldn't be feeling tired! "That didn't go well…"

"Hey there."

"Ahh!" Don jumped, patting his chest and turning around to look into the face of the pink haired Maya. "Oh."

Maya rubbed her hands looking sad. "Look, I'm really sorry about Taylor, but he's like that to everyone who he doesn't owe a peerage to. I really don't understand what drives him; he's insane or something!" She smiled slightly at her assumption.

"Oh, did you hear? Yes, I'm sorry too" Don replied with a neutral expression.

Flushing slightly Maya coughed. "I was, um, I was listening from round the corner." A sudden look of triumph lit up her face. "I've never seen anyone shout back at him, not even other managers, you're really something!"

If he weren't trying so hard to look refined he would've jumped back at that. Desperately he tried to hold back the red he knew would cover his cheeks and replied; "ah, it's nothing. He's always been like that since I've known him…"

"Oh, that's right! You're, Donald was it?" Maya smiled brightly.

"It's Don Wei actually."

"So Don's not short for Donald then?"

"No, it's not."

The man didn't seem to respond well to teasing Maya noted. "How did you know Taylor?" She didn't quite know why she was striking up a conversation with the other manager, but it was compelling.

After the little match both men had, had she'd followed him as he marched about to cool down his temper. Eventually she'd followed him all the way to the lake were he'd stood watching some of the teams knocked out of the race practicing in the wet conditions. He'd sighed, muttered something then made to sit down when she jumped up behind him.

"Oh wait!" She shouted, startling Don. "Don Wei! Taylor talks about you sometimes…" she trailed off in thought.

"Really?" Don asked, highly suspicious.

"Yeah, he used to say about when you were both at school how he'd tie you to the football goalpost with your own tie."

Apparently, this racer didn't quite have all the tact she probably could have. "Great."

After that there was a pause, and that pause kept on growing longer as neither of them seemed not to know what to say next. Maya moved forward to watch all the racers like Don had been doing before, and just when their silence was bordering on uncomfortable a gaggle of children came charging up the hill they were stood on.

"Miss Maya! Oh, oh, Miss Maya!" A particularly perky girl hopped up and down before them. "You were so awesome!"

Maya looked surprised. Awesome? But she'd lost miserably. Don smiled as he watched them.

"The way you landed your racer and helped Mr Alex away before it went _BOOM_! It was so cool! When I'm a star-racer I'm gonna be as good as you!"

Maya laughed and patted the child on her head. "Well then! When you're a star-racer I shall look forward to our race."

With that comment the small girl's eyes lit up unbelievably bright and she went back to her friends giggling and waving her arms wildly. The small group giggled more and whispered before the same girl came back over to them.

"Are you Miss Maya's boyfriend?" she asked Don.

The manager chocked on the air he was breathing. "W-what? Where did you get an idea like that!" He honestly didn't know what to say.

Maya's grin was truly evil when she looked at the children. "I bet it's because we're stood on this hill all alone watching the sky together." The girl beamed happily that she'd figured it out. "Well, you see, Don here has just saved me from my horrible overlord and master!"

The girl screeched giggling. Don was white as a sheet.

"It was a very brave and heroic deed!" Maya winked.

The girl bubbled over with excitement. Don felt like fainting.

"I'm gonna tell my daddy! He's a news-person!" And with that the group of children ran off.

"Aren't children great!" Maya smiled brightly, watching them go.

Don was still stuck on what the small girl had said. "Did she just say her father was a news reporter?"

Clapping her hands and smiling wide Maya laughed. "I wouldn't worry about it. Even if it were true I don't think her dad would believe an eight year-old, daughter or not."

_Even if it were true?_ Don opened his mouth to voice his thought when a sudden jolt to his head knocked him clean to the floor.

"Whoa, sorry dude!" A deep voice called over.

Maya looked down to see a football laid next to the manager's head. Rolling up a fist she glared as the buff owner of the ball approached them. "Watch it next time! Someone could've been hurt."

_Someone is hurt_, Don groaned inwardly as he continued to lay on the grass in a daze.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa there little miss! It was an acci- Hey wait! You're Maya Sign!" He blurted in the middle of his apology.

"That's right," the pilot continued to glare.

"Dude, you were totally rockin' today."

Maya stopped, "what, really?" And she sounded more than a little confused. Why did people keep saying she did well when she'd clearly lost? "Well, ah, thanks."

"Yo, man! What's the hold up? Get the freaking ball back!" One of the man's friends shouted from a distance.

Flashing a wicked grin at the pilot, and ignoring his victim, the man turned to his friend. "Shut the hell up, I'm getting it!"

"No, it's okay, I've got it" Maya said with a devious smile. Picking the black and white ball up she tossed it between he hands, checking to see if the owner was watching, before throwing it high into the air, spinning on her heel and slamming the round object back into the match. The man watched as the ball soared across the field to finally nail one of the players successfully knocking him down. "Huh, don't know my own strength," she shrugged, turning back to Don. The man stared then left quickly.

Squatting down next to the man she waved her hand in front of his face. Sitting up groggily he rubbed the side of his head.

"Are you okay?" Looking up at the worried expression on the woman's face he sighed.

Then started laughing.

Maya looked about sharply. "Hey, have you got a concussion?" She may have only know him for an hour or so now, but this sudden bout of laughter already seemed out of character.

"No, no, nothing like that. But you've got quite a kick on you," he smiled.

"It's all the training I do. You have to be strong when you pilot a star-racer!" Her eyes seemed to light up as she spoke about racing, it really was a strong passion she held for the sport.

As she rose to her feet a sudden flash of pain shot across her features and she fell back down again, resting on her knees. Don jumped and moved around her, his hands hovering over her back.

"Maya, what-?"

The young pilot coughed and frowned. "I didn't think it would be this bad."

"What wouldn't? You mean the race?"

Hanging her head further she winced and covered an arm. "Yeah, it seems I didn't get away with it as much as I thought I did…"

"It was a serious accident," Don reasoned when a grimace crossed the others' face, "anyone could hardly hope to get away scot-free." He tried smiling and waited as she gathered her thoughts before lifting her up. "We should get you back to your dock and call a doctor."

Maya sighed in defeat, "Taylor's gonna hate this" she mumbled taking Don's offer and putting her uninjured arm around his shoulder. As she was now a little wobbly on her feet her arm brushed against the spot the football had hit his head making him wince. "Seems we're both in the wars," she smiled impishly causing Don to blush lightly before quickly turning his head.

* * *

The reception the pair got upon their return to the South's dock was not a pretty one. Taylor immediately began throwing accusations at Don which only ended up in another shouting match and enraging Don's headache even more as he marched off once again. Maya glowered at her manager as she limped past him to hold onto the stair-rail, ignoring his bombardment of questions and making her way to her room.

Not long after she'd thrown herself down onto the bed a knock sounded on her door. It wouldn't be Taylor as he'd just march right on in regardless to her predicament or even if she were in a state of undress, he'd just continue on as if nothing were amiss. It wouldn't be any of the mechanical team as there were probably off selling and buying rare parts for the racer they'd have to rebuild upon their return home. And if it wasn't any of them then it could only be Alex.

Sure enough the windswept brunette trudged into the room after her call. "Yo, Taylor's been off a bit today, no?"

Rubbing her face Maya sighed. "That insensitive… didn't he even care we nearly died?"

"A loss isn't a win, Maya" he stated.

After a lengthy pause the woman replied; "did he send you up here, Alex?"

"Yes. He wants to know how you got hurt out with Mr Wei…"

"That moron! We were hurt before I went out, he's just too heartless to notice or care!"

"Agreed," Alex nodded heavily. "Now he's got me as his head lackey since the mechanics are out though."

Pulling her legs over to rest off the side of her cot Maya moaned under her breath at the shock of pain through her arm. "I'm sorry, Alex. I know it's partly my fault too… but he just infuriates me! Why would he bother that we're hurt now? He didn't before."

"Oh, he's not bothered about me, Maya, it's you. He wants you to and I quote: 'regain some dignity' by performing outside to gather a crowd. Y'know, just to show that you've still got it."

"Still got what!? I'm still a good pilot; everyone has to lose sometime!" She thought back to the people who'd told her how well she'd done during the accident. At least they cared for her well-being and not just the position in the final.

Alex waved his hands in self defence. "Don't shout at me, I'm just a gunner!" He laughed trying to lighten her mood. "But you've gotta admit Taylor's a good manager."

Maya looked at her partner in disbelief. "What?"

"I-I mean, he may be crude and arrogant-"

"And pig-headed, and rude and a jerk and insensitive and oblivious and a jerk and… a jerk-"

"But he _does _push us to do our best and further, isn't that what it's about in the end?"

Maya glared. "Improvement is one thing but the morale he makes in the team is so nervous. Didn't you see how he made Lucy _cry_!" Lucy was one of the more fragile mechanics and awfully easy to upset, so it was hardly a surprise when she broke down, not that that made it right.

"But after that she finished the thrusters' modifications in record time!"

"I don't care!" The pilot shouted. "He still made her cry!"

"Maya, maybe you should-"

"Maybe I shouldn't! Get out, Alex!"

"Maya," Alex whined as he watched his partner storm out of the room despite after telling him to leave. "Mayaaaa…"

Each footfall down the dull metal stairs sent tendrils of pain across her chest and shooting down her arms, but she refused to show weakness to the man in the pinstripe suit as he glared at her silently. Brushing past him with hardly a motion that she knew he existed she turned out of the hanger and into the sunlight again.

"I've got better things to do then hang out with an idiot and his puppet" she huffed. Hadn't Alex always been her friend though, why was he suddenly acting as Taylor's lapdog? Surely the pressure wasn't getting to him…

* * *

"Whoa, Don, man. You've been gone for hours! What happened?" Granvil greeted his manager with when the man emerged in the racer hanger. He was shouting down from the cockpit of the team's star-racer; Gravity. He'd named it that of course.

"Yeah, you look bad, Sir" Isaac commented.

"Really? I don't feel bad," Don replied. He felt great - maybe he really did have a concussion. "But I did see some good looking buildings on the pier."

"You mean the amusements!?" Isaac was excited now. He'd wanted to go to those since he'd first seen them when they'd arrived but Don had never let him as they were too much of a distraction. "Can we go, Sir?"

Don tapped his chin. "I don't see why not. It'll be another day until it's the finale."

"Oh, awesome!" Granvil cheered. "I'm gonna beat all those high scores on the racer simulator!"

"Oh, you know about them already, Granvil?" Don asked in mock suspicion.

The blonde pilot stumbled over his words. "Ah, um… ya see, it's a big thing amongst us pilots here, and I er…"

Laughing Don waved the other man off. "Save it and hurry up. We should get there and be back before it gets dark. There are some shifty characters out during the night now."

"Yes, Sir!" Both the boys shouted.

* * *

**A/N: **Kids are annoyingly innocent. They can ask anything. Some slight Maya/Don interaction there.

Maya is definitely the one who wears the trousers in this relationship! I mean, when you see the flashbacks it seems she can convince Don about anything. It's quite difficult to write their characters actually. We know basically nothing about Maya and Don couldn't have made a _complete _personality turnabout.

Lets see if I get any **reviews **this chapter. I usually don't for second and further chapters so that's why I stop posting.


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